Concert #62:2010.06.28, Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands

[lfblaauw]

After reading many reviews and hearing various audience-recordings and a couple of Simfy-recordings I thought I'd better give my comments after being at one of the gigs. So here are my comments:

Border Reiver
Good choice to kick-off with this song. Playing on the Fender Strat gives this song a real boost. The studio-version sounds boring compared with the live-versions.  This 'Amsterdam'-version is no exception and rocks. Difficult to say if it is better than previous live-versions. Defenitely, it received a very warm welcome by the audience.

What it is
The flute/violin part during the break is a nice addition. Guitar sounds a bit weak. But that's for most live-versions of What it is. The guitar-playing on the studio version is better.  

Sailing to Philadelphia
Nice one, great atmosphere. A pity that no-one took the second vocal.

Coyote
As mentioned before, Mark started singing too early. Guy was about to start his synth-loop and suddenly Mark started with the first verse.  I think Coyote works better live than Cleaning My Gun.  Cleaning My Gun is a very strong song on the album, one of the better songs, but live it's another story. Maybe because Mark plays all the guitars on the studio-version? It's like Silvertown Blues. Great on the record but live it didn't work (listen to the Munich-soundcheck 2001).
Back to Coyote: despite Mark's mistake, it's a great 'bluesy' tune. But the get rid of that crappy synth-sound, it doesn't fit the live-version.

Prairie Wedding
Great tune, nice atmosphere.

Hill Farmers Blues
Nice to hear this one again, although I heard a better playout in the past. Same as for Border Reiver, the live-version is far better than the studio-version.

Romeo and Juliet
Nice played, although I don't like Richard's playing here. But that's personal. Compared with the Straits-versions, it lacks some energy.  Best versions of R&J are the 'long' versions with Chris White on sax, as played during the first part of the OES-tour.

Sultans of Swing
Always nice to hear. It rocked a bit, but I heard it better in the past. What I'm really missing in this song is the 'final' solo-part as it was there since the 80's. Solos in a logical order, almost telling a story. That was a very strong part of SoS-live. The outro of SoS is not as strong as it was in the past.

Done with Bonaparte
Heard it to much, although the playing of Micheal McGoldrick is a real addition to this song.

Marbletown
For this one same as the opening track: the live-version is far better than the studio-version.

Donegan's gone
Sounds better than during the Shangri-La tour. Starts great, with some nice slide-work.

Speedway at Nazareth
As always, it rocks, full of energy. Nice to hear the flute in this song. As long as it will be played in this way, it won't be boring!

Telegraph Road
Telegraph Road is a nice song, and this evening was no exception. Heard some mistakes during the final part of Telegraph Road. But I heard it too many times now.  Time to replace it with Tunnel of Love, although I have my doubts if Mark could play ToL with the same concentration as in the early 90's.

Brothers in Arms
Don't like this version of Brothers In Arms. Prefer the more powerful versions of this song (like Mandela 1988).  I would say stop playing it and replace it with Piper To The End.

So Far Away
The sound of his Signature Strat fits the song better than his Sunburst Strat, although I don't like the use of the tremelo-arm on this song.  The Wembley '85 version remains my favourite live-version of So Far Away.  Nevertheless, as an encore it's good enough, and most people in the audience likes it.

Piper To The End
Nice tune to hear live. Works better live than the studio-version does.  As I mentioned before, replace Brothers in Arms with Piper To The End.  And play Wild Theme or Going Home as the last tune. That's what's really missing. No MK/DS-concert is complete with one of the Local Hero-tunes. Same goes for this one.  Don't get me wrong, I like Piper To The End, but not as the closing song!

General
Very good sound-quality, better than the last tour. Audience was enthusiast. Mark's voice is really great. It gives some songs a real boost.

Some pictures of this gig:








Regards,
Lars B.

[tunnel85]

always a little different, with every performance. thanks jeroenvg

Definately best SOS of this tour! Smooth and like Dire Straits

Great news ! I'm glad Simfy is one of my best friends ! 
SOS was excellent in Prague. It seems that he is in a great SOS period ! I love the 2010 version. Back to the roots. 

[stefankock]

The concert was absolutely fantastic !! 

The setlist was great (although I had hoped for CMG) and it was a thrill to hear Donegan's Gone, a song I missed 5 years ago as I never attended one of the SL concerts.

As I arrived just after 7 o'clock there was no way I could get upfront, so I chose to stand above the seats at the back (as they were already full too). Great view on the whole stage, but too far to see any facial expressions on Mark's or the band their faces.

The energy level seemed much higher then in 2008 (it's fantastic too watch John McCusker ... what an energy that guy has), the sound was absolutely fantastic (in the back at least) and seemed also quite a bit louder than 2008 (personally I find that a good thing ... Glen's bass sounded great at this volume level, as did Mark's guitar).

I could be wrong, but the reason Mark started singing too early during Coyote was because there seemed to be some trouble with Guy's keyboard at the start of that song .. and just when Mark didn't expected the synth-loop anymore it started and at the same time Mark started to sing. (I noticed Guy waving (and probably talking though his in-ear monitor) to somebody beside the stage on the left side who came onstage and seemed to lift something up (perhaps it was a cable problem) at which time the synth-loop started AND Mark began to sing)

Standout songs were STP, HFB, SOS, MT, DG, TR and PTE !! Bring on next wednessday for the next concert.

[Tally]

That must be the most controlled outro solo in years 

[localhero1986]

Personally, I was more impressed by the show in Cologne but as always MK shows are fantastic! The cologne show had more highlights for me. Yesterday, at the beginning of coyote there seemed to be a problem with GF samples.

Marbletown was fantastic by the way, awesome version. The only thing which I really hated was the audience in the back. People around me were constantly talking, joking, shouting, internetting, whatever but disturbing MY joy. So, with some elbows, standing on someones toes, people seemed to learn very quickly: during so far away, they were quiet!

[GennT]

Personally, I was more impressed by the show in Cologne but as always MK shows are fantastic! The cologne show had more highlights for me. Yesterday, at the beginning of coyote there seemed to be a problem with GF samples.

Marbletown was fantastic by the way, awesome version. The only thing which I really hated was the audience in the back. People around me were constantly talking, joking, shouting, internetting, whatever but disturbing MY joy. So, with some elbows, standing on someones toes, people seemed to learn very quickly: during so far away, they were quiet!

Yeah I absolutely agree with you about the crowd , I was on front - right and the people I was surrounded by hardly even clapped or showed any feeling, my hands are still hurting because I used them with all the energy I had.I don't know about the other parts of the venue but I think it was better in the middle, as I moved a few meter back for the last song to see how the sound is, It was much better and some people really made the feeling that you are in a concert!

[localhero1986]

The sound in the back was fantastic, right from the start (Border Reiver). Can't complain about the sound quality in the HMH. In 2008 I was standing first row and the sound was pretty crap (it happens often in the front). As I had to catch a train at 10.30, I really had to be in the back of the HMH to make sure I'd be able to catch (the last) train home!

Right now I'm listening to the simfy recording (bought it yesterday between SFA and PTTE). Fantastic recording again!

[GennT]

Yeah the sound at the front wasn't that good and I forgot to buy the simfy usb (we were very late too,we had to drive back to Groningen for another two hours after the GPS directed us the wrong way)But I will buy the downloadable mp3s of this fantastic experience as soon as they are available.It was my first gig ever.I was hoping for Why Aye Man as it was usually played at the standing concerts ,Donegans was a really nice surprise.

[stefankock]

The Simfy recording is great ... but nothing beats the fact of being there !! 

[holaknopfler]

I`m so jealous on everyone who was there.. I couldn`t go because of school.. Really dissapointing, I was there in 2008, the best moment of my whole life, Mark even smiled at me during the gig! I was 13 by that time. Anyway, it seems to be that you had a great time!

Lars

[Pottel]

sound in the front was good where i was standing, front row right in front of Richard

[GennT]

sound in the front was good where i was standing, front row right in front of Richard

I was maybe two meters away from you on the right ,Yeah the sound was very good but it was even better in the middle when I moved to hear Piper as I knew Mark leaves very soon after they play it.People looked at me in a weird way like "Why is this guy leaving the front to go back?? It was worthy sacrifice!"

[Pottel]

why did we not meet??

[GennT]

Well there were a few people between us(not 2 meters maybe 4 or 5  ) ,not so easy to walk through them and you were talking to someone , so I didn't want to interupt but I recognized most of the fans from the forum! And I had the mission to explain who Mark is to my uncle who never heard of him!

[Waterline Man]

And I had the mission to explain who Mark is to my uncle who never heard of him!

I'll bet you he knew Pottel though